Oklahoma Watch (https://oklahomawatch.org/tag/water-2/)
The Lone Chimney Lake area east of Stillwater faces one of Oklahoma’s most serious water shortages. How residents are coping may foreshadow what other Oklahomans will be forced to do if the state’s severe drought persists.
Despite recent rainfall, levels at most lakes that are primary sources of water for some large Oklahoma cities remain below historic averages. Data collected by Oklahoma Watch, and translated into charts accompanying maps below, indicate that eight of the 10 lakes used by Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Lawton and Stillwater are significantly below normal levels. The blue lines on the charts represent lake elevations over time. Red lines represent the lake’s normal levels. Click on any city’s name to go directly to the map showing that city’s water sources.
J.D. Strong, who directs the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, talks about the severity of the drought, climate change, water disputes and whether Oklahoma could suffer another Dust Bowl.
How much rain will Oklahoma need to climb out of an official drought that has lasted for more than two years?